Tonight kicks off the NFL season, as the Packers and Saints will play a Thursday night opener. I am greatly looking forward to this, as my attention usually returns to the prospect of tackle football around the point when the Mets drop out of contention (insert joke here about this happening in late April).

Belly Flop wrote on Sep 8, 2011, 17:36:Well, American football is cool if you like wearing armor, but the US rugby team has made it all the way to the Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand that starts on 09/09/2011. I wish them all the best as they aren't wearing helmets and kevlar Seriously. God bless 'em, they are reslly starting to be competitive in a non-primary american sport and we love seeing 'em play in this tournament. Please support your team

No offense against rugby, but I get really bored with the whole "They do it without armor!" argument.

American Football starts with both teams directly opposite one another, and 99% of all clashes are straight head-on. Rugby starts in a scrum, where everyone stands around holding shoulders, and everyone moves in the same direction, trying to get the ball out.

If you don't comprehend the inate difference in the amount of force your body endures in both scenarios, may I recommend re-reading the works of Sir Isaac Newton?

I like rugby, but you don't get frontally destroyed by a 280lb linebacker—who runs a 4.24 40 and is heavily roided up—ten times a game in it.